How to Check a Car's Alignment

Cars are supposed to have all four wheels perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. When the wheels are misaligned, tires wear irregularly, you can feel vibration when driving and the car will handle differently and pull to one side. Checking your own car's alignment is fairly simple even for those with little to no automobile knowledge. There are a couple of methods; a simple method just to see if your car needs attention, and a more accurate measurement that can tell you exactly how much your car is out of alignment.

The Simple Method

• 1

  Drive down a straight section of a highway.

• 2

  Check to ensure that there are no other cars in the vicinity and that driving conditions are safe.

• 3

  Hold onto the steering wheel and note whether you have to make an effort to keep it from pulling to the right or to the left, which would indicate your car is out of alignment.

The Accurate Method

• 1

  Park the car on paved, level ground, and make sure the car's wheels are pointed straight ahead.

• 2

  Take two straight pins and stick one into each of the front tires on the rear of the tire, using the measuring tape to make sure they are at the same height.

• 3

  With a friend's help, stretch the tape measure underneath the car between the two pins, and note the measurement.

• 4

  Roll the car forward a little bit so that the pins are sticking out of the front end of the tires at about the same height as they were when they were in the back.

• 5

  Measure the distance between the pins again, and note the difference, known as the "toe-in." Check your vehicle's owner's manual to find out what your car's acceptable toe-in range is, usually between 1/32 to 1/8 of an inch. Your car is out of alignment if it is outside the acceptable range, and you may need to take it into a repair shop to have it corrected.